Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-08-12

wAYSIDE REFRESHMENTS.
and sucked very short clay pipes. took it
for granted that on these spaces squads of
men were drilled On one street in the
vicinity of the "Aldershot Arms" "Roval
Arms" and "Cordwnders," all famous drink
ing and concert places, the population seemed
20 consist almost exclusively of women.
These l was told were the companions of the
soldiers, the camp containing something like
/ 900 of them. So long as a soldier behaves
himself he has an easy time of it at Alder
shot. He need not return to the barracks
until midnight and so his evenings are gen
orally spent in the beer shops and dance
houses, smoking, telling stories, singing songs
and dancing There are other and far more
elevating influences within the barracks, and
upon the whole the morals of the British red
coat are improving. The town of Aldershot
itself is dirty and unattractive, and struggles
up series of rather steep hills. Here and
there one comes across pretty little house
occupied by an officer and his family, the
pretty garden and well clipped hedge of
which contrast strangely with the barren
squares and dreary open spaces. The bar
rack accommodation is on splendid scale,
though u detailed description would scarcely
interest the general reader.
Leaving Aldershot started on the road
to Farnham, the bright and pleasant center
of picturesque hop country. We had just
reached Heal called Hale when catastro-
phe occurred which babe fair to stop further
progress that day. We were enjoying nice
bit of down grade and the machine was going
very rapidly. At the foot of the hill we
We're descending was the village church, and
| 7 ba IF
after the morning services. About the mid
die of the hill group of children were play
ing, one little girl having a toy cart. AS
they were directly in our path Wilson rang
the alarm bell. All scattered but the one
little girl who in her hurry had left the little
cart, and deliberately returned to get it,
| Another second and the marlboro tandem"
and its two occupants would have been on
the top of the unhappy child The steersman
turned sharply to the right to save her. Our
speed sent us across the narrow road like
| flash. One wheel went up in the air as we
bumped and ratified through the flints into
| the roadside ditch and we We're both split
We found ourselves sprawling in the dust on
Sunday with pious crowd from the village
church ascending the hill. Jumping to my
feet, felt something like a snake around my
neck 1t was the rubber tire from one of the
rear wheels which had been stripped clearly
| off by the violence of the turn made uuluckily
across rough bit of road where rain had
washed bare the sharp flints under the clay.
There sat the little girl who had caused this
liiClty spill, bolt upright i'll the middle of the
road tightly cutching the toy wagon, and
staring at us like u horse who had thrown his
rider over the hedge. Before could adjust
ourselves the crowd was upon us, and the un-
4
rag and bobtail of Heal. Never shall forget
the looks those British matrons gave us as
they passed by. can see the pretty heaven
ward twists of the village idens' noses as
they walked up that hill. There we stood
covered with dust, in the midst of a mob of
urchins from the Sunday school. scratching
our heads and contemplating the best way to
pick ourselves up and get somewhere; where
we did not know nor care. For the moment
felt like clubbing myself. Twas old enough
TO know better And here was the end of my
tricycle. tour. Why did it not end in sight OF
the assembled mob at the British museum,
before the start was made3 ! was interrupted
IN this reflection by CHEEKY voice, exclaimng
"What's up, friends? Oh! tire Off that's
nothing; come up to the top of the ill, and
dad will put it on for you"
The speaker was q joval young English
man, with q bright face and a brierwood
pipe. Thanking him we followed his sug-
gestion, and slowly pushed the machine up
the hill, while our newly found deliverer en-
deavored to dsperse the irritating and in
fantie crowd who followed with pertinacity.
We found the young mans father, Mr.. Isaac
Pharo, retired publican who owned several
trcycles and bicycles. With hot iron he
put on our tire in few minutes. Finding
that no other damage had been done we
lunched at the village tavern, and in one
hour after the spill were riding as merriy as
you please through one of the most lovely hop
districts in England. The road from here on,
through Alton and Arlesford to Winchester,
was superb. On one little stretch we made
five and one-half miles in twenty-five min
utes. From Heal to Alton, a distance of
twelve and one-half miles, we made in one
hour and fifteen minutes. We stopped at
Arlesford for tea, and thoroughly refreshed
mounted the machine and did not dismount
until the grand old cathedral of Winchester
doomed up like dark and shapely cloud, and
told us that in spite of accident and hills we
were to score fifty miles for the second day
out, | must leave this wonderful old city for
another letter, The ancient capital of the
kingdom, the British, the Saxon and the
Norman kings in turn all occupied it. The
} first parliament was held there, and the
boast of the people of Winchester today is
foundations of noble palaces and magnificent
} monasteries. ROBERT 7. PORTER